Director, Automation

AbbVie; Durham (NC); On-site; USD 140,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid time off & 401(k)

Long-term incentive programs

Job summary

AbbVie is seeking a Director of Automation to lead global operations and maintenance of automated process control systems. You will design strategic programs, standardize processes, and guide long-term tech investments across the Manufacturing and Engineering Services organization.

You will build a virtual Community of Practice, lead global automation standards, and oversee training and audits while driving cost reduction and reliability improvements. Travel is required.

Qualifications

• B.S. in Engineering required.
• 15+ years in Automation engineering with a large global initiative or capital project.
• 5+ years leading technical teams – regional/global preferred.
• Experience leading virtual teams and roll-out of global initiatives.
• Understanding of pharmaceutical/biotech ops and regulatory expectations; subject matter expertise in DCS, SCADA, PLC, instrumentation/controls.
• Strong data integrity and network security knowledge.
• Strong communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Build and lead a virtual Community of Practice of Site Automation leaders and engineers; guide automation standards.
• Establish Global Leader - Automation as the internal technical lead for process control operations globally.
• Lead a team of engineering experts to support Site Automation and Operations Managers; maintain standards and performance.
• Oversee development and implementation of automation training programs.
• Support Global Sourcing on contracts for Automation Process Control Systems (DCS, PLC, SCADA, OSI-PI).
• Provide audit support to site Automation teams; ensure consistent remediation across sites.
• Drive cost reduction, reliability improvements and UI standardization to reduce human error.
• Manage AbbVie's Talent Management process; coach, set goals, and build a high-performing team.
• Collaborate with virtual/remote teams; adapt schedules for global calls.
• Travel ~20% of time, including some global travel.

Skills

Automation engineering

Global leadership

Team leadership

DCS/SCADA/PLC

Data integrity

Regulatory know-how

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor's in Engineering

Tools

OSIsoft PI

DCS systems

Job description

About AbbVie

AbbVie's mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines and solutions that solve serious health issues today and address the medical challenges of tomorrow. We strive to have a remarkable impact on people's lives across several key therapeutic areas including immunology, oncology and neuroscience - and products and services in our Allergan Aesthetics portfolio. For more information about AbbVie, please visit us at www.abbvie.com. Follow @abbvie on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube.

Company Description

About AbbVie

AbbVie's mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines and solutions that solve serious health issues today and address the medical challenges of tomorrow. We strive to have a remarkable impact on people's lives across several key therapeutic areas including immunology, oncology and neuroscience - and products and services in our Allergan Aesthetics portfolio. For more information about AbbVie, please visit us at www.abbvie.com. Follow @abbvie on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube.

Job Description

The Director, Automation position has global responsibility for providing reliable, safe, and efficient operations and maintenance of AbbVie's automated process control systems. The Director - Automation is responsible for designing and implementing strategic technical programs and initiatives and global processes to assure consistent service delivery and compliance for the Manufacturing and Engineering Services organization for the Company. The Director is the point of contact within manufacturing for automation topics including data integrity; system risks, mitigations, and standardization; and the leader guiding long term technology decisions and investments in automated process control for the company.

• Build and lead a virtual Community of Practice team made up of Site Automation leaders and a direct staff of global automation engineers; be the thought leader with experience managing a comprehensive, industry-leading automation program.
• Establish the position of Global Leader - Automation as the internal leader for all technical process control operations globally; provide the technical skills and expertise to guide the company's automation standards to the next level of reliability, pro-active performance, and compliant practices.
• Lead a team of engineering experts in supporting Site Automation Managers and Operations Managers; ensure technical support is provided as required to maintain the standards and performance expectations at all AbbVie Operations manufacturing sites.
• Oversee the development and implementation of technical training programs for Automation.
• Support Global Sourcing in the area of global and regional contracts for Automation Process Control Systems including DCS, PLC, SCADA, OSI-PI, and other alliance and master service agreements.
• Provide audit support to site Automation teams and ensure consistent practices and globally consistent remediation, if applicable, are applied.
• Research and implement innovative cost reduction, reliability improvement, and user interface standardization initiatives in driving human error reduction.
• Achieve all KPIs (budget, schedule adherence in achieving project milestones meeting user requirements, etc.)
• Manage all aspects of AbbVie's Talent Management process; coach and deliver ongoing performance feedback, set goals that drive outcomes and model AbbVie behaviors and assess performance accordingly. Build a high performing team & culture that demonstrates the AbbVie Way of Working.
• Work with virtual / remote teams on a regular basis; able to adapt work schedules to accommodate early and late day conference calls.
• Travel estimated at 20% of time, including some global travel.

Qualifications

• B.S. in Engineering required
• Minimum of 15 years of Technical experience; demonstrated expertise and practice in Automation Engineering including successfully running a large global initiative or large capital project.
• Minimum of 5 years leading technical teams – regionally or globally preferred.
• Experience in leading virtual teams and roll-out of regional or global initiatives.
• Understanding of pharmaceutical/biotechnology operational best practices and regulatory expectations Subject matter expertise in distributed control systems, SCADA systems, PLC, instrumentation/controls.
• Thorough understanding of data integrity and network security highly desirable.
• Strong communication skills.

Additional Information

Applicable only to applicants applying to a position in any location with pay disclosure requirements under state or local law:

• The compensation range described below is the range of possible base pay compensation that the Company believes in good faith it will pay for this role at the time of this posting based on the job grade for this position. Individual compensation paid within this range will depend on many factors including geographic location, and we may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range. This range may be modified in the future.
• We offer a comprehensive package of benefits including paid time off (vacation, holidays, sick), medical/dental/vision insurance and 401(k) to eligible employees.
• This job is eligible to participate in our long-term incentive programs.

Note: No amount of pay is considered to be wages or compensation until such amount is earned, vested, and determinable. The amount and availability of any bonus, commission, incentive, benefits, or any other form of compensation and benefits that are allocable to a particular employee remains in the Company's sole and absolute discretion unless and until paid and may be modified at the Company’s sole and absolute discretion, consistent with applicable law.

AbbVie is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to operating with integrity, driving innovation, transforming lives and serving our community. Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled.

US & Puerto Rico only - to learn more, visit https://www.abbvie.com/join-us/equal-employment-opportunity-employer.html

AbbVie is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to operating with integrity, driving innovation, transforming lives and serving our community. Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled.